The road on the back side is about 370 meters away from the 5th building of the Gwacheon Government Complex, where the High-ranking Officials Crime Investigation Office (hereinafter referred to as the Airborne Department) is located.

It is 3 minutes by car and less than 10 minutes on foot.

At 3:48 p.m. on Sunday, the 7th of last month, the official vehicle of the Minister of Public Transport Kim Jin-wook appeared here.

Seoul Central District Prosecutor's Office Lee Seong-yoon was waiting.

The attendant secretary, who led the official vehicle of Kim Jin-wook, headed for the air defense department with Chief Prosecutor Lee Sung-yoon.

At around 5:10 pm on the same day, after a private interview with Chief Kim, Chief Prosecutor Lee returned to the place where he had changed in a private vehicle.

This is a major scene from a nearby CCTV.




Seoul Central District Attorney General Lee Seong-yoon changed the official vehicle of Kim Jin-wook to the construction site in a busy alleyway near the construction site, with four CCTVs installed in all of them.

Three of these four CCTVs have captured the appearance of this site prosecutor.

It seems that Chief Kim and Chief Prosecutor Lee did not care about this part.

This CCTV even contains the appearance of Chief Prosecutor Lee Seong-yoon holding a briefcase and looking around.

Investigation of the

so-called ``escort'' in which

the head of the investigative agency

picked up and even sent off

the

suspect who

was

accused of exerting

external pressure in an investigation that revealed the allegations of Kim Hak-eui's illegal departure from the country

There

is a continuing

criticism

of

'


Difference between emperor and interview

Airborne Minister Kim Jin-wook expressed his position through a spokesman for the Ministry of Public Transport, saying, "It was unavoidable for security reasons."

He said, "I will be more careful not to raise any controversy over fairness in the future."

Inside the airlift, for security reasons, Chief Prosecutor Lee Seong-yoon was brought in an official vehicle, but there is also a current that Kim should respond more aggressively.

It is the purpose of'the prosecution also does so for security reasons, but why can't it be the same investigation agency, the airlift?'



However, there is a different aspect between the case of the prosecutor's office and the interview with the district prosecutor's office.

In the case of the prosecution, for example, on the day of summoning and investigating a major suspect several years ago, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, the investigation team of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, met and brought the suspect at a specific point near the government building on the day of the summons.

There is a case where the powerful ministry brought celebrities (chaebolists or entertainers) from annexes to the summons.

It's for security.

In addition, the suspect's government building access records and investigation details were left.



On the other hand, Kim Jin-wook is known to have made it impossible to know whether the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office Lee Seong-yoon had entered or not, and it is known that he had entered the district prosecutor's office through the back door of the air defense unit without a guard (this is explained by multiple officials from the air defense department).

It did not record the details of the private interview held for more than an hour on the third floor of the government building.

This is why criticisms such as'Preference Interview' and'Emperor Investigation' come out.

Attorney Kim Han-gyu (former chairman of the Seoul Bar Association) said, "It is far from fairness in appearance." "I pointed out.



Preference investigations and interviews are different in nature.

When summoning a major suspect, the deputy prosecutor or the prosecutor of the investigation team often conducts an interview.

On March 21, 2017, when former President Park Geun-hye was summoned to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office as a suspect due to the Gukjeong Nongdan incident, the prosecutors of the investigation team (Special 1st Department Director Lee Won-seok and Han Woong-jae, then 8th Criminal Chief Prosecutor) investigated the former President Park and made a record. Left.

Prior to this, Deputy Prosecutor Roh Seung-kwon gave a car to former President Park Geun-hye and talked for a while.

The same is true when Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong was summoned to the Seoul Central District Prosecutor's Office on May 26 last year for suspicion of an illegal Samsung merger.

The investigation team of the Department of Economic Crime and Criminals, centered on Prosecutor Lee Bok-hyun, recorded the entire process. .



At the request of the main suspect, the head of the investigative agency will meet once, but sending a public vehicle and not leaving a record of the interview is highly likely to be seen as a preferential treatment beyond the interview.

An attorney who was the former chief prosecutor pointed out, "Because there is no prosecutor since the investigation department is not yet equipped, if the head of the public prosecutor General Kim Jin-wook met the prosecutor, Lee Seong-yoon, the interview details should be kept as a record."



"The Minister of Public Service believes that the procedure was followed."

Director Kim is in the position that he followed the procedures and regulations by setting a location for a private interview with the District Prosecutor's Office.

In the case of major suspects, interviews and investigations can be conducted without entering records of access.

If you look at the government building access security guidelines, which are the order of the Ministry of Public Administration and Security, there are regulations related to emergency access.

It is stated that post-authorization is possible with regard to access.

This is only if the facility manager approves it.


Not only the interview preparation process but also the interview process is pointed out as a problem.

Chief Kim Jin-wook attended the National Assembly Legislative Judicial Committee on the 16th of last month and said that meeting Prosecutor Lee Seong-yoon was'interview and basic investigation'.

According to Article 244 of the Criminal Procedure Act, the contents of the accused's statement must be entered in the record.

Regarding this, Deputy Commissioner Kim raised the grounds for not leaving the details of the interview with the District Prosecutor's Office, raising the Article 26 of the Rules of Investigation and opposed the argument.

However, this regulation also stipulates that if the record is not prepared, the reason should be disclosed (Article 26, Paragraph 2, No. 2 of the Rules of Investigation).

Director Kim did not leave a reason for not writing the dossier and did not disclose it.

One legal official said, "I believe the Minister of Public Service has followed the procedure."

However, just because some procedures are followed, does not mean they are followed.

If you don't follow the procedure until the end, you will leave room for violating the procedure.


Emperor investigation promotes distrust of investigative agencies: whether it is fair or not


On November 6, 2016, former Blue House Chief Min Jeong-woo, Woo Byeong-woo, was summoned to the prosecution as the accused and suspect.

It was after his wife and family resigned from the civil society due to suspicion of a real estate transaction in Yeoksam-dong, Seoul.

At the time, however, a photo was released that caused public resentment during the prosecution's investigation.

It is a so-called'photo of emperor Byeong-woo's arms folded'.

This photo clearly shows how well former chief Woo Byeong-woo was at the time and the position of former chief Woo.

Former Chief Woo Byeong-woo is wearing a black jumper with a hat and cross-arms at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office.

The jumper is said to have been provided by the prosecution because the former chief Woo was cold.

Notably, two prosecutors were standing next to each other with their hands together.


As a senior prosecutor, it was said that it was a meeting place to meet a junior, but it was the moment when the boundary between the prosecutor and the subject was broken.

Does the general public have enough time to stand next to prosecutors with arms folded during a break while being summoned as a suspect at the prosecution office?

Not like that.

Although this single picture cannot fully show the real truth, it can be seen as significant to cause distrust of the prosecution's investigation.

This is the reason why it is against the equity with other suspects and that it has created a great social sympathy.



Airborne is an investigative agency launched to reform one of the power agencies, the prosecution.

Neutrality, independence and fairness are strictly required.

Airborne Minister Kim Jin-wook has also emphasized this.

You must be wary of the prosecution's wrong practices and not follow.

Nevertheless, prior to the interview with District Prosecutor General Lee Seong-yoon, the main suspect, he gave an official vehicle and did not leave an entry record.

CCTVs near the airlift were revealed as evidence.

Deputy Chief Kim did not even record the details of the interview with Chief Prosecutor Lee.

It will be difficult for other suspects to receive the same treatment as District Prosecutor Lee Seong-yoon.

It is analyzed that it is not much different from'Emperor Byung-Woo Cow'.

This is against fairness.


Deputy Minister Kim explained that the matter was serious, but the general public is highly concerned that the airborne ministry will investigate high-ranking public officials and repeat similar precedents in the future.

If it is emphasized that Director Kim has followed his own procedures despite pointing out that it is against fairness, it is not in line with the public's level of view and is far from the feelings of the law.

The airborne department is not an interview or reception point for high-ranking public officials, but rather a'investigation office'.

As the head of an agency investigating crimes of high-ranking public officials, it is important to consider and consider the targets of the investigation, but it is necessary to hope for desirable reforms of power institutions and to be aware of the public's gaze over the process.



(Photo = TV CHOSUN, Chosun Ilbo, Yonhap News)